9mm "NATO"

Marine 3 · 03-07-2011, 04:04 PM

Last Saturday at a gun show I bought a box of Winchester white box 9mm "NATO" 124 gr FMJ. The label warning says use only in modern 9mm firearms in good condition and that these cartridges are loaded to military velocity and pressure which is higher than 9mm Luger cartridges. Average pressure is 10% higher than 9mm Luger cartridges.
I would think that would eliminate their use in old Lugers, No matter their condition. Is this true? Have any of you used such cartridges? I have heard in the past that Lugers need a "hot" load to cycle properly. What is the use of these type loads?
Subguns maybe? I was going to shoot them in my P38 if not my Luger. Now I don't know.
Thanks, Marine 3

Vlim · 03-07-2011, 04:22 PM

If a load is too hot, it will beat a P38 to death before it will kill a good P08. I ran some NATO spec 9x19 through my Mauser P08 without issues, but there is a difference between doing the occasional 50 rounds or shooting it constantly.

So basically I would keep it out of the P38 and the P08 and get some white box Winchester 115gr instead. That works well.

Ron Smith · 03-07-2011, 04:57 PM

As Vlim states, it will beat a P.38 up worse than a Luger. P.38's have a habit of cracking slides with hot ammo.

Marine 3 · 03-07-2011, 07:12 PM

Thanks you two. I believe I will spare my two German pistols the extra strain and shoot these rounds in a 9mm carbine or subgun.

The Wizard · 04-11-2011, 09:34 AM

9 X 19 mm ( aka 9 mm Luger and 9 mm Parabellum) made to NATO specification was design to be shot in pistols used by any of the NATO member countries. This includes the P1/P38, FN/Browning High Power and M9/92fs. While I would not shoot it from my collector grade Lugers or P38's, I have shot hundreds of rounds of it through a Russian captured P08 and surplus P1 without ill effect. In fact the P08 seems to prefer NATO spec ammo.

aptech77 · 04-11-2011, 11:13 AM

I've shot boxes and boxes of Olympic 124gr. NATO, through my 1915 DWM shooter, and it loves it. Never mis
feeds, jams, or has cycle problems of any kind. I'm finally so low that I ordered some Geco 124 gr. To replace my stash. $189 for 1k rounds shipped.

03-07-2011, 04:04 PM	#1
Marine 3 User Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 23 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 1 Post	9mm "NATO" Last Saturday at a gun show I bought a box of Winchester white box 9mm "NATO" 124 gr FMJ. The label warning says use only in modern 9mm firearms in good condition and that these cartridges are loaded to military velocity and pressure which is higher than 9mm Luger cartridges. Average pressure is 10% higher than 9mm Luger cartridges. I would think that would eliminate their use in old Lugers, No matter their condition. Is this true? Have any of you used such cartridges? I have heard in the past that Lugers need a "hot" load to cycle properly. What is the use of these type loads? Subguns maybe? I was going to shoot them in my P38 if not my Luger. Now I don't know. Thanks, Marine 3

03-07-2011, 04:57 PM	#3
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	As Vlim states, it will beat a P.38 up worse than a Luger. P.38's have a habit of cracking slides with hot ammo. __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

04-11-2011, 09:34 AM	#5
The Wizard User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 67 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	9 X 19 mm ( aka 9 mm Luger and 9 mm Parabellum) made to NATO specification was design to be shot in pistols used by any of the NATO member countries. This includes the P1/P38, FN/Browning High Power and M9/92fs. While I would not shoot it from my collector grade Lugers or P38's, I have shot hundreds of rounds of it through a Russian captured P08 and surplus P1 without ill effect. In fact the P08 seems to prefer NATO spec ammo. __________________ The Wizard Air Dropable AND Ground Recoverable Necat omnes! Deus suos agnoscet. The application of the proper amount of high explosives can solve any problem. War is an act of force and to the application of that force there is no limit! So say the philosophers (Carl von Clausewitz b 1780 d 1831) of war.

03-07-2011, 04:22 PM	#2
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,049 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,957 Times in 1,200 Posts	If a load is too hot, it will beat a P38 to death before it will kill a good P08. I ran some NATO spec 9x19 through my Mauser P08 without issues, but there is a difference between doing the occasional 50 rounds or shooting it constantly. So basically I would keep it out of the P38 and the P08 and get some white box Winchester 115gr instead. That works well.

03-07-2011, 07:12 PM	#4
Marine 3 User Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 23 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 1 Post	Thanks you two. I believe I will spare my two German pistols the extra strain and shoot these rounds in a 9mm carbine or subgun.

04-11-2011, 11:13 AM	#6
aptech77 User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 85 Thanks: 10 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts	I've shot boxes and boxes of Olympic 124gr. NATO, through my 1915 DWM shooter, and it loves it. Never mis feeds, jams, or has cycle problems of any kind. I'm finally so low that I ordered some Geco 124 gr. To replace my stash. $189 for 1k rounds shipped.